Deregulation in the UK has led to privatised water companies pumping raw sewage into the environment blatantly, criminally (and legally) and with utter disregard of the consequences for disease, for wildlife and for swimmers who thought they could take a dip in the sea without a period pad smacking them in the face. Any sane person is disgusted by this but the money incentivises the water networks to continue rather than invest in doing what they are supposed to do (due to their monopoly on the markets). The modest fines they might be threatened with are much cheaper than actually upholding their fiduciary duties.

Will the government do anything significant in response to the public outrage to try and undo the UK becoming a literal cesspit before the next election?

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-67567323

https://news.sky.com/story/huge-increase-in-raw-sewage-released-into-uk-waterways-and-sea-data-reveals-12677730
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60040162
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56590219
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65099906 https://news.sky.com/story/why-is-sewage-pumped-into-rivers-and-the-sea-12883507